In the United States approximately two-thirds of children in foster care have a sibling also in care. When siblings are removed from their home and placed in foster care we make every attempt to keep them together. We understand sibling relationships help children achieve developmental milestones as well as provide emotional support, companionship and comfort in times of change. Separating siblings compounds the grief they feel over separation from their parents and the transition to a new home.
As a foster parent, you have the opportunity to help children heal from past trauma by providing a safe and nurturing home. Your guidance and support are invaluable during such a critical time in their lives. But the process of becoming a foster parent can seem daunting–after all, you are bringing a child into your home, so where do you start? How long does it take?
We are in full swing for our upcoming ‘Thyme for Kids’ plant sale, a fundraiser for our horticultural therapy and Build Trybe program. The students enrolled in my class help manage a commercial greenhouse, learn to nurture living things, contribute to a team project, and gain a basic understanding of plant science. We have been growing annuals, perennials, herbs, houseplants, and vegetable transplants to sell to the community. "What makes horticulture therapeutic?” I am asked this question often. I believe it varies from individual to individual.
Every day, an average of 19 youth are removed from their homes in Missouri. The events that lead to a child entering foster care are traumatic enough, but the physical removal from their family compounds that trauma for everyone involved. What if families could get help before things escalated to the point their children need to be removed? Intensive In-Home Services (IIS) are specifically designed to serve families who are experiencing a crisis.
Thank you to those who joined us yesterday for our virtual Forward, Together! Community Forum. The 30-minute forum was a way for us to thank you for your support in 2020, to celebrate with you on the 150-year milestone of our mission, to inform you on our work ahead in 2021 and invite you to be a part of our healing mission for children and families in 2021. Read our recap blog below to learn more about how you can get involved in 2021!
